December Round Robin comments and questions thread

[Jay]

Rez wrote: "Sorry about the delay; Monday happened.

The free writing is a ton of fun and so far our plot is pretty solid, even if we have no clue where it's going. I'm content knowing that there is going t..."

Fun twist, but I'm sitting back in hopes that someone else jumps in. I think some Rez and A.J. twists and counter-twists could be fun.

[Jay]

Kaje wrote: "I've gotten pretty good at pulling it back together..."

Understatement. Just saying...:)

[Rez]

Don't hold up the story on my behalf; if you guys have story to add, don't wait for me.

I'm combating a spell of seasonal/grey-weather depression that is sapping my motivation (this is why I voluntarily live in the California desert; but with this freak weather system, only one day out of the last fourteen has been sunny). And because of depression, I can't take my stimulants for ADHD, so I have no ability track details (like plot) at the moment.

And I know you all's first instinct will be some form of encouragement or feel-better sentiment, and I appreciate it, but please don't further derail the thread. Besides, the best way you all can help, is giving me something good to read.

I'll post when I can, but don't hold up the story waiting for me.

[Jay]

Wow. You could so be related to me. I think of what you describe as the norm in my family. The irony of genius is often a brain on the fritz. No pasty, fake encouragement here, but don't suffer alone. What you suffer from just makes you all the more interesting a person to me, and a lot like family.

[Kaje]

Rez wrote: "Don't hold up the story on my behalf; if you guys have story to add, don't wait for me.

I'm combating a spell of seasonal/grey-weather depression that is sapping my motivation (this is why I volun..."

I hope it gets better soon. Life is crazy up my way, but I hope to jump in at some point, if only for a little bit.

[Jay]

Kaje wrote: "Rez wrote: "Don't hold up the story on my behalf; if you guys have story to add, don't wait for me.

I'm combating a spell of seasonal/grey-weather depression that is sapping my motivation (this is..."

A Kaje twist is always in order. And I can fill out what I posted if it's not a good up in point.

[Jay]

Nice adds to action and story twist. And I loved the detail added to Zach and Ryan interacting with their elements.

[Kaje]

Thanks :) No more new characters though (I deliberately didn't give the old mentor a name); IMO we need to keep it still simple enough for someone to follow if they have a yen to write. (Or for my own holiday-discombobulated brain to follow... Hopefully I didn't miss any salient points so far.)

[Jay]

Ryan, Zach, Gareth, Bergen, Aquitaine, Fabron and the unndamed Fire elemental woman, plus the four unnamed mundane thugs. I think we need one more, a greedy, mundane corporate tycoon who thinks himself immune to renting Elementals for hire.

[Kaje]

Hm, I'm already having trouble keeping straight who is what to whom. But if your muse insists that's the source of the conflict, go for it.

Might be good to post the character list near the top of this thread for people so it's easy to find their names...

[Jay]

Kaje wrote: "Hm, I'm already having trouble keeping straight who is what to whom. But if your muse insists that's the source of the conflict, go for it.

Might be good to post the character list near the top of..."

Done, msg #4 is now the character list. I named the unnamed Fire Elemental and yet-to-appear mundane tycoon funding the rogues/renegades.

[Kaje]

Jay wrote: "Kaje wrote: "Hm, I'm already having trouble keeping straight who is what to whom. But if your muse insists that's the source of the conflict, go for it.

Might be good to post the character list ne..."

Yay :) Thanks for that.

[Jay]

Kaje wrote: "Jay wrote: "Kaje wrote: "Hm, I'm already having trouble keeping straight who is what to whom. But if your muse insists that's the source of the conflict, go for it.

Might be good to post the chara..."

So, now we have the character list straight, time to twist the plot a little more, and feel free to jump in, assuming your editing is in a good place.

[Kaje]

Tough day for me - I'll wait and see in anyone else does.

[Jay]

Kaje wrote: "We'll wrap it at the end of the month one way or another. I've gotten pretty good at pulling it back together, and you guys are doing great so far. Lots of time for more twists first."

If no one else is going to jump in, I will. But everyone in so far has added so much fun to the story.

[Jay]

It sat too long, so I decided to give it a little twist. I hope it will be fun for whoever twists it next.

[Kaje]

Thanks - crazy life right now. I'll contribute after Christmas for sure.

[Jay]

Kaje wrote: "Thanks - crazy life right now. I'll contribute after Christmas for sure."

That's all right, you got Second Act ready for publication in the meantime (shameless plug).

[Jay]

Nice twist, A.J. so any thoughts about Ryan? I presume he's alive as an MC, but my guess is that he's being kept unconscious to seem as though dead.

[A.J.]

Jay wrote: "Nice twist, A.J. so any thoughts about Ryan? I presume he's alive as an MC, but my guess is that he's being kept unconscious to seem as though dead."

You can take it any where you want to if you decide to write more before I or someone else gets to it :)

[Jay]

There are limits. If this wasn't YA, you could have a bit of fun with where you've left Zach. We'll see.

[Jay]

So, I gave it another little twist, and hope someone will now twist it where they will. Merry Christmas.

[Kaje]

Yep, let's keep it YA. Thanks for the adds, guys.

[Jay]

Kaje wrote: "Yep, let's keep it YA. Thanks for the adds, guys."

So, edit out the hinted at material? No problem, I edited it down. Sorry for getting too edgy.

[Kaje]

Jay wrote: "Kaje wrote: "Yep, let's keep it YA. Thanks for the adds, guys."

So, edit out the hinted at material? No problem, I edited it down. Sorry for getting too edgy."

Maybe I read it after your edit because it seems fine to me. Anyway, I added on (I wasn't sure if you meant Zach's solution to look good or be a mistake, so I went down the middle between the two.) It looks like we're approaching end game for the guys...

[Jay]

Kaje wrote: "Jay wrote: "Kaje wrote: "Yep, let's keep it YA. Thanks for the adds, guys."

So, edit out the hinted at material? No problem, I edited it down. Sorry for getting too edgy."

Maybe I read it after y..."

Actually, you brought out exactly where I was with Zach, untrained, unschooled, and inclined to give non-lethal payback as he perceived it, right or wrong. I also loved how you used the Elemental Master to bring all that into the story and both reprimand and defend Zach at the same time. People do not always make the philosophically wise choice in a crisis, often fixing things with a solution that creates a new problem. Forcing Bergen to act against his true nature was a set up for things to go wrong, somehow. The axiom of hypnosis is to make suggestions that do not violate the subject's core beliefs, because bad things happen when you do. And so, even with your fix in the story, something bad needs to backfire in Zach's fix.

[Kaje]

cool :)

[Jay]

Kaje wrote: "cool :)"

And perhaps, if nothing else, the forced joining could result is some sort of catharsis for one or the other, once released from it. It all depends on where the next writer takes it.

[Michael]

Soooo, been a over a month since the last installment. I know all of you are really busy but, is the story dead?

[Kaje]

Just turned in a book yesterday... if you're up for it go ahead; otherwise it's on my list, now that "Life, Some Assembly Required" is off my hands.

[Michael]

Kaje wrote: "Just turned in a book yesterday... if you're up for it go ahead; otherwise it's on my list, now that "Life, Some Assembly Required" is off my hands."

Uhm, I'm a reader (consumer) not an author (wellspring of creativity). I do however promise to buy "Life, Some Assembly Required" when it comes out! You've been an auto-buy since I read the "Hidden Wolves" series!

[Kaje]

Ah well, we don't discriminate here ;) So if you want to add a sentence or two, go for it. If not, stay tuned :)

And thanks for the kind words - my readers are the best :)

[Jay]

Actually, it would be fun, Michael to see you add to the story.

[Jay]

Michael wrote: " You've been an auto-buy since I read the "Hidden Wolves" series!..."

Ditto on that thought, although it was the Life Lessons series that hooked me. Hidden Wolves just fed my addiction.

[Kaje]

Mine was the last post so I can either break the rules or someone (Yo, Michael...?) can write at least 5 words or so, for me to have another turn...

[Jay]

I'm willing to put in a paragraph or two, so you can go for it, but if Michael wants to do the honors, by all means.

[Michael]

Kaje, Jay, please bring this puppy home. I really like both of your writing. (Time Trials was a four star for me) so Jay, please feel free to tell us

The Master nodded to the driver to speed up. "Now we have to...

What do we have to do?!

[Kaje]

LOL - Thanks Michael - I'll give Jay and AJ a nudge since mine was last up.

[Jay]

Kaje wrote: "LOL - Thanks Michael - I'll give Jay and AJ a nudge since mine was last up."

Thanks for the kudos for my first efforts. I owe it all to these writing challenges, and hope I have progressed since then. We'll see.

[Jay]

I tossed in a little info blurb. Now, let's see what Kaje does with it or I can keep going, if you want.

[Kaje]

I'll take a crack at it :)

[Jay]

Good. :D

[Jay]

Nice twist, hopefully one of the other contributors will now jump back in. If not, I will take another shot at it.